Chapter 7: The Principal's Real Identity
Principal Reynolds stood at the top of the staircase with one hand gripping the railing.
Mrs. Harper was beside him.
Neither looked surprised to find us underground.
That frightened me more than anything else.
My father moved in front of my mother and me.
"Get out of my building.""
Principal Reynolds raised both hands.
"Owen, calm down. Nobody wants trouble.""
My father laughed bitterly.
"You brought a teacher who assaulted my son into my property after threatening my family. You think I'm going to welcome you?""
Mrs. Harper stepped down one stair.
"You're making another mistake.""
My mother gripped my arm.
"How did you find this place?""
Mrs. Harper looked at her.
"You're not as difficult to find as you think, Rosa.""
My mother went pale.
Principal Reynolds descended another step.
"I think everyone needs to understand something. This situation has become much larger than a school disciplinary investigation.""
My father pointed toward the entrance.
"Then call the police.""
Principal Reynolds hesitated.
That hesitation told me everything.
He wasn't there to help.
"Why are you involved?"" I asked.
He looked at me.
"Jayden, you don't understand the circumstances.""
"Then explain them.""
Mrs. Harper laughed.
"Children always think they're entitled to answers.""
My father stepped forward.
"Don't speak to my son.""
Principal Reynolds sighed.
"Fine. I'll explain.""
He opened his briefcase and removed a document.
"HarborPoint Holdings has been trying to acquire this property legally. Your father refused several reasonable offers. Unfortunately, there are unresolved questions regarding the original ownership.""
My father stared at him.
"The property belongs to my family.""
"According to the current deed.""
"According to every deed.""
Principal Reynolds placed the document against the wall.
"Your grandfather's original purchase may have involved incomplete disclosures.""
My mother shook her head.
"That's impossible.""
Mrs. Harper smiled.
"Is it?""
She took a photograph from her handbag.
It showed the old warehouse in 1997.
A younger Samuel Cole stood outside the building.
Beside him was another man.
My father recognized him immediately.
"That's Henry.""
Mrs. Harper nodded.
"Your uncle was much more involved in the property transaction than you were told.""
My father took the photograph.
"Where did you get this?""
"From someone who understands the history of the harbor.""
Principal Reynolds opened his briefcase again.
He removed another sheet.
"This is a preliminary claim suggesting that Samuel Cole acquired the property using documents that may have belonged to Atlantic Meridian Freight.""
My father stared at it.
"You're accusing my father of stealing property?""
"I'm saying the ownership history is questionable.""
"Then why wait twenty-nine years?""
Principal Reynolds looked at Mrs. Harper.
She answered for him.
"Because the original records have finally become valuable.""
My mother stepped forward.
"What records?""
Mrs. Harper's expression hardened.
"The ones Henry collected.""
My father folded the photograph.
"Where is he?""
Mrs. Harper looked at him.
"That's the question your father should have answered.""
My father clenched his fists.
"Don't you dare.""
Principal Reynolds interrupted.
"There's an easier way to settle this. Give us the brown envelope, and HarborPoint will withdraw its claim.""
My mother froze.
"How do you know about the envelope?""
The principal looked directly at her.
"Because Henry told someone.""
"Who?""
He didn't answer.
My father stepped closer.
"You have no authority to demand anything from us.""
Principal Reynolds closed his briefcase.
"Perhaps not today.""
He glanced at the steel door.
"But the company has enough information to make this property dispute very unpleasant.""
Then he looked at me.
"And Jayden's disciplinary situation could become considerably worse.""
My father's expression turned dangerous.
"Leave my son out of your business.""
Mrs. Harper smiled.
"Then perhaps you should control him.""
I stepped forward.
"You hit me.""
She looked down at me.
"And you hit me back.""
"Because you insulted my parents.""
"That doesn't change what happened.""
My mother moved between us.
"You will never touch him again.""
Mrs. Harper adjusted her blazer.
"That depends on how this investigation develops.""
My father reached for his phone.
"I'm calling the police.""
Principal Reynolds looked at him.
"Go ahead.""
Then he turned toward the staircase.
Mrs. Harper followed.
Before disappearing, she glanced back at my mother.
"Rosa, you should remember something. Henry didn't trust your husband with everything.""
My mother stopped breathing.
The two visitors climbed out of sight.
My father immediately called the police.
While he spoke, I looked at the steel door.
Something about the inscription bothered me.
The locking mechanism had three circular grooves.
And beneath the keyhole were three tiny symbols.
A fish.
A lighthouse.
A ship.
I remembered the emblem on Mrs. Harper's bracelet.
The lighthouse surrounded by three curved lines.
I pulled out my phone and showed the symbol to my father.
"Look.""
He examined it.
Then he looked toward the staircase.
"That's not HarborPoint's logo.""
"What is it?""
My mother answered quietly.
"It's the old Atlantic Meridian company seal.""
My father turned toward her.
She nodded.
"Henry wore a pendant with that symbol. Your grandfather kept one too.""
I looked at the steel door again.
"Maybe the lock needs the three things.""
My father crouched.
He examined the grooves.
Then he removed a small pendant from beneath his shirt.
It was an old silver fish.
My grandfather had given it to him.
My mother reached into her purse and pulled out a tiny brass lighthouse charm.
"I've kept this since Henry disappeared.""
We examined the third symbol.
The ship.
My father looked toward the old storage shelves.
"Grandpa kept a model ship in the office.""
He turned to me.
"Stay with your mother.""
But I had already understood something.
The principal and Mrs. Harper hadn't come to retrieve an envelope.
They had come because they believed the room was about to be opened.
And they were terrified of what we might find inside.
Ten minutes later, my father returned with a small wooden ship.
He placed it beside the other two objects.
The three symbols matched perfectly.
But the lock still wouldn't move.
Then my mother noticed something engraved beneath the ship symbol.
A name.
HENRY.
She touched the letters.
The steel door made a faint clicking sound.
My father grabbed the handle.
It moved.
May you like
Slowly, the lock released.
And from behind the steel door came the unmistakable sound of a phone ringing.
